Avarn Security Group is a leading Nordic security services provider. One of Avarn Security’s core business areas is security technology, delivering project-based solutions and ongoing services related to video surveillance, access control, fire alarm systems and intrusion detection.
The security technology business has developed positively, and project operations in Southern Finland are experiencing strong growth.
As a leading player in the industry, quality, delivery reliability, service level and customer satisfaction are key success factors for Avarn. However, with growth came a need to further develop project operations to make them clearer and more manageable by strengthening predictability, leadership practices and the smoothness of daily work.
Mantec was invited to support a development initiative focused on security technology project operations in Southern Finland, bringing an external perspective and supporting the transformation with a hands-on approach focused on operational efficiency.
Objective: best-in-class project operations
According to Avarn Security’s Business Director, Mika Peippo, the objective of the initiative was to take project operations to the next level and build a clear competitive advantage:
“Our goal is to build best-in-class project operations in the industry – something that is visible both to our customers and our own people.”
The initiative focused on three main themes: improving the customer experience, strengthening profitability and creating a smoother everyday for employees.
“We wanted to establish ways of working where projects progress with high quality, predictability and without surprises – both from the customer’s perspective and internally,” Peippo explains.
A clear direction based on analysis
The initiative started with an analysis phase, during which dozens of Avarn employees across different roles were interviewed, and work in the field was closely observed.
The analysis focused particularly on project management, resourcing, daily management practices and the overall flow of the project process.
Several development areas were identified. There was a need for more unified management models, clearer roles and responsibilities, and improved visibility on daily and weekly status.
In addition, project managers’ time management needed strengthening to shift the focus more systematically towards proactive project steering.
There was also a need to improve resource planning, visibility of future workload and financial follow-up of projects.
A strong start through quick wins
The implementation phase, launched at the beginning of 2026, progressed in two parts.
The first phase focused on quick wins to rapidly bring more clarity to daily work. These included introducing a project portfolio view, daily-level resource planning, project manager-specific weekly plans and a new weekly meeting structure to better support transparency, decision-making and resource allocation.
A clearer framework was established for project managers’ time usage, and financial follow-up was strengthened with new views enabling more systematic tracking of budget, forecast and actuals on a weekly basis.
After the quick wins phase, development work was deepened into core daily management practices. Roles and responsibilities were clarified, management practices were standardised and resource management was improved to better anticipate future workload.
The objective was to establish sustainable practices that support project managers’ success and strengthen the overall performance of the project organisation.
A clearer everyday, improved efficiency and stronger delivery reliability
Avarn’s committed team combined with Mantec’s hands-on approach created a strong foundation for change.
The result is a clearer operating model, improved predictability and stronger delivery reliability for customers.
Project operations now have a clearer structure and more systematic ways of working, visible across the organisation from management practices to site-level execution. Work has shifted towards a more proactive approach: planning, monitoring and steering of projects are done more anticipatively, supported by shared ways of working across teams.
According to Mika Peippo, one of the most significant improvements is enhanced visibility. The organisation now has better insight into both current and future capacity, supporting resource planning and realistic project scheduling.
This is directly reflected in the customer interface: project progress can be communicated more clearly, and delivery reliability has improved.
Avarn project manager Teo sees the changes concretely in his daily work and site management.
According to him, the initiative has brought clear direction and structure to everyday work. Project managers’ calendars and weekly rhythms now guide execution, and key meetings and planning practices are predefined. This has improved efficiency and made it easier to focus on what matters most.
“The most concrete change is that my own work and calendar are now clearly structured. I have a much better understanding of where to focus at different stages of a project.”
From Teo’s perspective, one of the most significant improvements is increased project visibility. Project managers now have a better overview of site situations, supporting both operational and financial steering.
“Clearer roles and responsibilities have significantly improved everyday work and made decision-making smoother,” he says.
The changes are also visible in customer work. With more systematic planning and follow-up, it is easier to stay on schedule and respond to changes in time. Regular communication with customers reduces surprises and improves collaboration.
“From the customer’s perspective, operations feel more reliable when work is well planned and communication is consistent.”
Structured ways of working strengthen profitability and quality
From the perspective of Business Controller Toni Kurki, the initiative has particularly strengthened planning and financial steering.
Where work was previously partly reactive and project profitability varied, operations are now based on clearer planning and a shared direction. Project managers have better visibility into their own projects, resulting in a stronger sense of control and smoother execution.
From a financial perspective, the change is visible in reduced deviations. With more accurate planning and follow-up, financial surprises have decreased, and corrective actions can be taken earlier. This has reduced workload both in the project organisation and in finance.
The changes are also visible towards customers. Improved collaboration between sales and operations, along with more precise resource planning, enables more realistic project start-ups and scheduling. This improves delivery reliability and enables more consistent, high-quality execution.
“Better planning is directly reflected in quality, timelines and profitability. When things are done proactively, there are fewer surprises for the customer as well,” Kurki summarises.
Collaboration enabled the transformation
A key success factor in the initiative was close collaboration between Avarn and Mantec. The work was based on strong dialogue and on developing solutions together, grounded in daily operations.
“Solutions were not brought in as ready-made models – they were developed together using our own tools,” Kurki explains.
This collaborative approach ensured strong organisational commitment and that new ways of working became embedded in everyday operations.
Project manager Teo also describes the collaboration as highly positive:
“This has been a truly inspiring project – I have learned a lot and gained new perspectives on my own work.”
An external perspective helped structure the overall picture and brought concrete, practical solutions directly into daily management.
Mika Peippo concludes that the initiative has met expectations well. The work progressed according to a clear plan, with focus on the most relevant topics. At the same time, the organisation showed strong commitment, and the initiative was seen internally as a positive step forward.
Peippo emphasises that investing in project operations is a key part of Avarn’s growth:
“We want to build project operations that are among the best in the industry, where quality, efficiency and pride in one’s work go hand in hand.”
The successful transformation has created a strong foundation for this continued development.
If you want to strengthen your operational core, improve delivery performance, and build a scalable foundation for growth, Mantec can help.
Contact us for a free 45-minute consultation:
Denmark – Bent Hansen
bent.hansen@mantec.eu
+45 20 91 46 36
Finland – Eero Vuorensola
eero.vuorensola@mantec.eu
+358 40 54 45 200
Sweden – Göran Svensson
goran.r@mantec.eu
+46 70 631 86 18
Norway – Jan Erick Olsen
jeolsen@mantec.eu
+47 922 68682
Other countries – Kjetil Barfelt
kjetil.barfelt@mantec.eu
+47 913 13 131
